Clay/Molloy family Drummaul parish 1860s

[City Hall]

Hi, I was  tempted to 'hi-jack' the Mitchell/Walsh family topic thread, so as to avail of the expertise on Drammaul parish displayed,but thought better of it and started this new thread!
I have a Charles Clay marrying an Ellen Colgan in 1863 in Drummaul parish, but by the time they moved to Belfast in 1865 the family surname had changed to Molloy. I have found one  instance where the baptism surname was registered as Clay, but on the original document the family name is written as Clay Molloy.
Were the surnames Clay and Molloy prevalent in Drummaul in the 1860s and would anyone have any idea why Charles Clay (and indeed his brother William from Duneane parish) changed their surnames.
Thanks.
Paul.

[a-l]

Could they have been step children  or used mother's maiden name or real father's name ?

[City Hall]

Hi A-l, I don't think so. I am fairly sure that Charles Clay and Charles Molloy were one and the same person.

Paul.

[BallyaltikilliganG]

I started looking at your problem from the Clay side on the  Ros Davies Co Down website
Francis   CLAY   .   Magheralin   married Elizabeth Taylor 7 Nov 1830 at Magheralin Church of Ireland   PR
James   CLAY   .   Magheralin   married Margaret Beattie 20 Feb 1830 at Magheralin Church of Ireland   PR
William CLAY   .   Down   regd. Downpatrick; son of William Clay ; married Mary McMullan 2 Oct 1850   CR
William   CLAY   .   Moira   husband of Catherine ; father of Mary bpt. 11 Apr 1784 at Moira Church of Ireland   PR
William   CLAY   .   Moira   family burying place in Moira Church of Ireland graveyard- dated Apr 1884   MIs



Drummaul is in Drumballyroney civil parish.  There are No Molloys in  Drumballyroney civil parish listed in Ros Davies

No Clay listed in Tithes Applotment books

1864 Griffiths valuation the only Clay in Co Down are John and William located in Moira

Colgan family none listed in Ros Davies Drumballyroney
1863 William Colgan living at Imdel townland Drumballyroney

moving to Williams brother is in Duneane civil parish in Co Antrim
no Molloy in tithes for Duneane
Griffiths has no Molloy in Duneane

What more do you know?
Charles Clay marrying an Ellen Colgan in 1863 in Drummaul parish do you have the civil and church marriage details?

[aghadowey]

Could they have been step children  or used mother's maiden name or real father's name ?

I think you are reading the above comment incorrectly. The above was also my first thought.

It wasn't uncommon for children's surnames to be changed to stepfather's name, name of mother's partner, for illegitimate children to be known by their real father's name. It might also be that different records for illegitimate children show the different names for the same period- for example, birth registration under mother's surname but baptism or school register showing surname of father.

[BallyaltikilliganG]

could such an event as below have caused confusion A John Molloy is listed among’Return of offences committed in the County of Down, during the 18 months ended the 11th.March 1862 (Information on the crime, date, and place of all these persons is given below this table of names)’ see Raymonds Co Down website see http://countydown.x10.mx/html/index2.htm

[a-l]

Yes Aghadowey that was precisely what I was thinking so obviously read it incorrectly .

[City Hall]

Hi, thanks for the replies. With regard to BallyaltikilliganG's question
Charles Clay married Ellen Colgan in Drummaul parish on 3rd November 1853.
They had 4 children born in Drummaul parish
Francis in 1854
Charles in 1857
Patrick in 1860
Catherine in 1863

Paul.